Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Powell Peralta

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Successor
  
Powell Corporation

Parent organization
  
Skate One Corp.

Founded
  
1978

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Industry
  
Skateboarding, quad roller skates

Products
  
Skateboard decks, skateboard wheels, quad roller skate wheels, bearings and accessories

Founders
  
Stacy Peralta, George Powell

Profiles

Powell Peralta is an American skateboard company founded by George Powell and Stacy Peralta in 1978. The company rose to prominence in the 1980s as skateboarding began maturing as a sport. The company featured the Bones Brigade, a team featuring the era's top competitors. Peralta left the company in 1991 and Powell continued to produce skateboard equipment as Powell, Bones Bearings and RollerBones. The two company founders reunited to produce the company's now classic inventory under the name Powell Classic.

Contents

Background

George Powell studied engineering at Stanford University and started making homemade skateboards in 1957. In 1974, Powell's son came and asked for a skateboard. When Powell pulled an old one out of the garage, his son complained it did not ride smoothly. Powell became interested in skateboarding again, as he realized urethane wheels improved a skateboard's ride. With this prompting, Powell started making his own skateboards and wheels. He bought urethane and baked his own wheels. He also used some new materials like aluminum and fiberglass to fabricate his own composite boards. One of the test riders of one of his flexible slalom boards was Stacy Peralta.

When Powell was laid off from his job in the aerospace industry, he moved from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara to start his own skateboard manufacturing business. In 1976, George built the Quiksilver ProSlalom deck which he marketed through Sims. This was followed by the Quicktail.

Foundation of Powell Peralta

In 1978, George teamed up with Stacy Peralta forming Powell Peralta. Peralta took over team management and advertising. In 1979 they created a skateboarding team called the Bones Brigade (name unrelated to the wheels).

Members

The Bones Brigade was a skateboarding team that rode under the Powell Peralta, and later, Powell banner. Notable Bones Brigade members throughout the years have included:

  • Ray Underhill
  • Filmography

    Powell Peralta produced the Bones Brigade videos, starting in 1982, and they became some of the most influential skateboarding videos of the era:

  • The Bones Brigade Video Show (1984)
  • Future Primitive (1985)
  • The Search for Animal Chin (1987)
  • Public Domain (1988)
  • Axe Rated (1988)
  • Ban This (1989)
  • Propaganda (1990)
  • Eight (1991)
  • Celebrity Tropical Fish (1991)
  • Downturn and formation of Powell Corporation

    In the late 1980s, smaller, skater-run companies like World Industries appeared and took market share from the bigger companies. Powell Peralta suffered as many of their riders defected and either set up or rode for those new independent companies. At the end of 1991, Stacy Peralta left Powell Peralta and the company was then re-branded as Powell Corporation.

    Filmography as Powell

  • Hot Batch (1992)
  • Chaos (1992)
  • Play (1993)
  • Suburban Diners (1994)
  • Scenic Drive (1995)
  • Strip Mall Heroes (1998)
  • Magic (1999)
  • Bones Bearings Class of 2000 (1999)
  • FUN (2009)
  • Bones Bearings

    Bones specializes in wheels. Powell continues to make skateboard products, including Bones Bearings and wheels.

    Reunion

    Powell Peralta has re-issued decks under the brand, Powell Classic. George Powell and Stacy Peralta have teamed up once again to re-issue some of the original pro models under the Powell-Peralta brand. Current reissues include models from Steve Caballero, Ray "Bones" Rodriguez, Mike McGill, Steve Steadham, and Mike Vallely. In late 2010 Powell Skateboards and Powell Classic were folded into Powell-Peralta. The current team is Pros, which includes Steve Caballero.

    In March 2011 it was announced that artist VCJ (Vernon Courtlandt Johnson) has returned to Powell-Peralta, and is working on new art for the Brand.

    Skateboarding Hall of Fame

    Powell-Peralta was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame on Friday, May 13th 2016

    References

    Powell Peralta Wikipedia